Page 1676 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 29 May 1990
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Services, Mr Duby. Of course, it is necessary that I also refer to the camaraderie that exists between those Ministers opposite. We see, not surprisingly, that Chief Minister Kaine supports Mr Duby because he relies on Mr Duby to stay there for his Chief Ministership. The stability of the show opposite in some way interests Mr Collaery because he, too, relies to some extent on Mr Duby for his position. What does surprise me is that the usually sensible Mr Humphries - well, the sometimes sensible Mr Humphries; I should not say "usually" - has supported Mr Duby and has opposed and resisted to all lengths any consideration of a censure motion against Mr Duby. I cannot see that those so-called small "l" liberals that Mr Humphries says he has his support from would be too happy with him supporting opposition to consideration of a censure motion which is of such significance for a government.
I have referred in the past to House of Representatives Practice and I noticed that Mr Collaery, who keeps the green book quite close to him, quickly scurried and picked it up and referred to it. I know now that Mr Collaery would have closely scrutinised the contents of that page and Mr Collaery would agree with me at the conclusion of his scrutiny that this issue should have been dealt with immediately after question time. It should not have been deliberately delayed by the activities of the Government opposite. I do not see any signs of emotion from Mr Collaery in relation to the matter, but it is an important area of precedence and it is important for the credibility of this Assembly that that sort of precedence is observed in the way that this Assembly behaves.
If Ministers and the Government members opposite are too frightened and too gutless to allow scrutiny of their Ministers by way of a censure motion, then I expect that the community would think badly of that, understandably, I should say, because I would expect somebody like Mr Collaery, who alleges that he has close community links - although I understand that they are diminishing somewhat if Mr Moore's words are close to the truth, and I think they are - to support this motion to suspend standing orders so that the censure motion can go ahead.
This has been the subject of much publicity. It is an issue of public importance and it is an issue that ought to be considered without delay. I look for support from any responsible members of the Government opposite who can be found to support this motion to suspend standing orders, in order that all of the facts can come out and a proper debate can be carried on in relation to the behaviour of the members of the Executive who are responsible for the future of this city.
MR COLLAERY (Deputy Chief Minister) (4.18): Mr Berry quotes page 340 of House of Representatives Practice. The motion that the Opposition have clearly foreshadowed is a motion that was not brought forward when the Chief Minister
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